Which morning drink is college students' go-to?

College students like to drink morning coffee or tea, but should they switch to an energy drink?

Also, does energy formula in the morning have any benefits?

By Maxwell Faery

Special to Niagara Frontier Publications

As a student in high school, I found it very difficult to stay awake in class. I tried drinking energy drinks, but sometimes I did not have the money to keep buying energy drinks - and they were horrible for my body. I tried drinking coffee, but I could not drink it, because I thought it was the grossest thing on face of the planet (unless there was a huge abundance of sugar in it). I then turned to energy formula and, over the course of almost three years, I have seen no weight gain - and I have never slept in a class.

Many students need an energy boost to operate their day effectively. Some students do not. According to a recent survey conducted at Niagara University (100 students polled), more than 65 percent of students drink coffee only to operate their day. About 20 percent of college students drink water only while 10 percent drink tea. Plus, 5 percent of the college students surveyed admitted on occasion they drink soda or some type of energy shot.

Most college students drink coffee, and then water throughout the day. Also, the majority of commuters drink orange juice or milk before their coffee with their breakfast and, according to multiple credible medical sources, orange juice is one of the greatest and healthiest drink to drink in the morning - but in moderation, due to its high levels of sugar.

There are many things that I have concluded from this survey.

No. 1: A lot of college students drink coffee with an abundance of cream and sugar and, depending on where they get it, they are probably spending at least $600 (conservatively speaking) on coffee or coffee products a year.

No. 2: Most college students acknowledge the disasters of soda and would be hesitant to try energy formula for the same reason they stay away from soda (chemicals and sugar).

No. 3: If the energy formula was all-natural, about 10 percent of the surveyors would consider switching.

"I don't think energy formula is the way to go, because almost all of the ingredients in the energy complex of the formula is stuff they put in energy drinks ... like weird artificial flavors," NU student Nick Josselyn said.

"It's all about absolutely no artificial; I am a naturally energetic person," added student Bella Susino.

"If there was an energy formula that was completely all-natural, I would consider it," Bruce Winter noted.

Do energy formulas really work? How do we know?

One of the most popular energy formulas on the market right now is a product called G Fuel. According to the product's website, G Fuel was created in 2012 and was originally marketed to gamers - hence the "G" in G Fuel.

Fast forward today, the product has more than 21 flavors - and skateboarders, gamers, boxers and some football players standing by the product.

But what exactly is in G Fuel?

G Fuel has 25 calories per serving, with no sugar and an abundance of vitamins. G Fuel breaks down the rest of its ingredients into three parts: energy complex, focus complex and antioxidant complex.

The main ingredients in the energy complex of the formula are taurine, citrulline malate and enough caffeine to equal to a large cup of coffee. All of these are organic and can be found as individual supplements.

Taurine is commonly found in other energy drinks, including the popular Monster energy drinks. According to WebMD and Mayo Clinic websites, Taurine is said to help prevent liver disease and high cholesterol, but the common use is to be mixed with caffeine, which is said to help enhance focus and concentration.

The main ingredients in the focus complex are l-tyrosine and choline bitatrate. Both of these substances are organic and are recognized by the Food and Drug Administration as "safe."

The antioxidant complex of G Fuel is predominantly fruit extracts and fruit powder. Fruit powders are organic and provide flavoring depending on what flavor of G Fuel one purchases.

The other notable ingredient of G Fuel is maltodextrin, which is a type of artificial sugar that is made by the hydrolysis of any type of starch, and used as a sugar additive. According to a G Fuel representative, the few artificial ingredients and dyes that are in G Fuel make up a fraction of a percent of the contents and the daily value, which is based on a 2,000-calorie diet.

The only other thing that could concern consumers of this product is the daily value of vitamins B6, B12 and C. One serving of G Fuel accounts for 417 percent of one's daily value of vitamin C, 500 percent of vitamin B6 and a staggering 7,000 percent of one's daily intake of vitamin B12.

It's advised that one try and limit the intake of G Fuel to one serving a day, or one serving every other day, and not take it if having problems with vitamin intake.

Coffee has many similarities of G Fuel. Coffee has a pretty equal amount of caffeine and can have very similar health benefits, such as helping prevent liver disease and helping regulate and/or prevent Parkinson's disease, according to Health News Today and Health Harvard websites. Most coffee drinkers drink their coffee with a lot cream and sugar, which is not always the healthiest when one is drinking coffee every day. Most people drink more than one cup of coffee in a day. Coffee is different in the fact that it is more addicting than energy formula, because when one drinks coffee, they're more likely to "crash" (blood sugar boost and then drop) than by drinking G Fuel.

Coffee will always be considered the world's most popular caffeine boost. However, coffee can be addicting and should be enjoyed in moderation, just like most morning-time drinks.

This article is part of a college journalism class project and is not intended to endorse any product, nor does it constitute professional health advice. Please consult your doctor before adding or subtracting anything from your diet or workout, and before consuming any item or product listed herein.